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Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar (July 13, 1928 – August 3, 1999) was an American jazz bassist. Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname "The Walker". Besides his jazz work, he also appeared on a number of soundtracks and pop albums, notably Van Morrison's 1972 album, Saint Dominic's Preview. He recorded extensively as both a leader and sideman. He came to public attention in the 1950s as a result of recording with Lee Konitz, André Previn, Stan Getz, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, Joe Castro and Serge Chaloff. |title=Blue Serge: Review |last=Yanow| first=Scott|authorlink=Scott Yanow|work=allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corp. |accessdate=May 18, 2013}} He played bass on Previn and Manne's My Fair Lady album, one of the most successful jazz records ever produced. He also performed on another of jazz's biggest hit albums, Eddie Harris and Les McCann's Swiss Movement, released in 1969. He moved to Portland, Oregon in 1986. In 1995, the Oregon State Legislature honored him by proclaiming May 1 Leroy Vinnegar Day. Vinnegar died from a heart attack, at the age of 71, on August 3, 1999, in a hospital in Portland. Discography As leader * Leroy Walks! (1957; Original Jazz Classics) * Leroy Walks Again!! (1962; Fantasy Records) * Jazz's Great "Walker" (1964; Vee Jay) * Glass of Water (1973; Legend Records) * The Kid (1974; PBR International) (2005; Q-Tape Records, France) * Walkin' the Basses (1992; Contemporary Records) As sideman With Joe Castro Trio * Live at Falcon's Lair! (1956; Pablo Records) - with Zoot Sims * Groove Funk Soul! (1958; Atlantic Records) * At Falcon's Lair with Joe Castro 1959 With Dolo Coker * California Hard (1977; Xanadu Records) With Sonny Criss * Saturday Morning (1975; Xanadu Records) With Kenny Dorham * Inta Somethin' (Pacific Jazz, 1961) With Kenny Drew * Talkin' & Walkin' (Jazz: West, 1955) * Home Is Where The Soul Is (1978; Xanadu Records) * For Sure! (1978; Xanadu Records) With Teddy Edwards *''Teddy's Ready!'' (Contemporary, 1960) *''Good Gravy!'' (Contemporary, 1961) *''Heart & Soul'' (Contemporary, 1962) With Red Garland * Keystones! by (1977; Xanadu Records) With Eddie Harris and Les McCann * Swiss Movement (1969; Atlantic Jazz) With Elmo Hope *''The Elmo Hope Quintet featuring Harold Land'' (Pacific Jazz, 1957) With Eric Kloss *''First Class Kloss!'' (Prestige, 1967) With Gordon Lee * On the Shoulder of Giants (1994; Unity Label Group) With Shelly Manne * My Fair Lady (1956; Contemporary Records) With Howard McGhee * Maggie's Back in Town (1961; Contemporary Records) - with Phineas Newborn, Shelly Manne With Van Morrison * Saint Dominic's Preview (1972; Warner Bros.) With Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster * Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (1959; Verve) With Sonny Rollins * Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders (1958, Contemporary Records) With Sonny Stitt * Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues (Verve, 1959) *''Saxophone Supremacy'' (Verve, 1959) *''Sonny Stitt Swings the Most'' (Verve, 1959) With Cedar Walton *''Cedar!'' (Prestige, 1967) With Jessica Williams * Encounters (1994; Jazz Focus) * Encounters II (1997; Jazz Focus) With Don Wilkerson * The Texas Twister (1960; Riverside) With Serge Chaloff * Blue Serge (1956; Capitol) References External links *Bio Category:Bassists